Many lamb takeaways in the UK are really using chicken, beef or turkey, according to a new investigation.

Nearly a third of lamb takeaways checked by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) were found to contain a different type of meat, while some dishes contained no lamb at all.

The investigation found that 43 out of 145 samples of lamb takeaways were wrongly described and 25 of the samples were found to contain only beef, which is cheaper than lamb. No samples contained horsemeat.

In another series of tests in London and Birmingham consumer organisation Which? found that 40 per cent of lamb takeaways contained other types of meat, with some containing no lamb at all.

Local authorities are now being asked to test 300 samples of lamb from takeaways, starting in May.

Andrew Rhodes, chief operating officer at the FSA, said: "Prosecutions have taken place against business owners for mislabelling lamb dishes, but the recurring nature of the problem shows there needs to be a renewed effort to tackle this problem."

6 comments

I can't see why this is news. Everyone knows that a large number of ethnic food outlets pay but lip service to hygiene and food standards in the name of profit. It's the norm and part of the enrichment of our culture through embracing diversity and multiculturalism, something we must all celebrate. Now then, where's my champagne?